Film-gate mechanism for kinetoscopes.



' R. J. EMORY.

FILM GATE MECHANISM FOR KINETOSCOPES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1914. 1,257,593. Patented Feb.26,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A J'W R. l. EMORY.

FILM GATE MECHANISM FOR KINETOSCOPES.

APPL l CATlO N FLLE D FEB- 2 5', l 9 l 4.

1 Patented Feb. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ii ......:J T e E iiii 8 Mme Mioz,

e f /w- UNITED STATES PATENT oE IoE.

ROBERT J. EMORY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO BAIRD MOTION PICTUREMACHINE CO., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FILM-GATE MECHANISM FOR KINE'IOSCOPES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. '26, 1918.

Application filed February 25, 1914. Serial No. 821,023.

citizen of the United States, residing in Newark, in the county of Essexand State of New Jersey, have invented certaln new and usefulImprovements in Film- Gate Mechanism for Kinetoscopes, of WhlCh thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to means for holding the film in fixed positionwith respect to the aperture plate when the lntermittent sprocket is atrest, and relates partlcularly to holding means which is automaticallyadjustable, to permit travel of the film without tearing or mutilation.

One of the main objects of my 1nvent1on is to provide a device thatcannot drag or travel with the film and which holds the film in anabsolutely stationary position with respect to the aperture plate whenthe intermittent sprocket is at rest. I

A further object of the inventlonls to provide a device in which.ineguallties or variations in thickness on opposite edges of the filmare automatically compensated for and which will not bind or tear thefilm.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device in whichthe ma x1mum tension against the film can be readily adjusted and inwhich all of the parts will be accessible for immediate inspection orrepair. 1

The various other objects of. the; invention 7 will in part be obviousfrom an inspection of the drawings, and in part will' be more fully 'setforth in the following description of one;

form of mechanism embodying the inven-' tion which consists in the newand novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafterset forth and clalmed.

In the accompanying drawings: k

Figure'l is a side elevation of a kinetosco e embodying my improvement;

ig. 2 is an enlarged front view of the holding device;

Fig. 3 represents a side elevation in section of the device;

Fig. 4 represents a cross-section on the line44ofFig.2;

Fig. 5 is a detail view ShOWlIlE the spring supports for the lower shoesFig. is a detail view showing the tens1on spr1ngs for the tilting shoes;and

Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the means for securing the holdingdevice in engage:

ment with the aperture plate.

Referring to the particular embodiment of my invention shown in theaccompanymg drawings, the aperture plate 1 is rigidly supported on theframe of. the machine in any suitable manner and is provided with a flatbearing face to support the edges of the frame. The gate mechanism issupported in proper position with"'relation to the aperture platepreferably on a door 2 hinged as at 3 to the frame of the machine sothat it can be opened to give independent access to the aperture plateand adjacent parts of the machine and also give access to the gatemechanism. The gate mechanism comprises essentially a pair of shoes 4spaced to engage opposite edges of the film to hold same againstdisplacement with respect to the aperture plate'. Each of said shoes ispivoted by means of a pin 5 intermediate its ends to aneye 6 in theouter end of a sliding rod 7 mounted in a bearing 8 provided in thedoor. The shoes preferably comprise flat bearing faces 9 and flanges 10provided with the pins 5, thus permitting ready attachment to the eyesin the rod 7. These rods are free to reciprocate in their bearin in aline substantially perpendicular to t e film and aperture plate.

The shoes are normally pressed outward and into engagement with the filmand aper ture'plate by means of a. tension member- "comprising a plate12 and spring arms.13

formed integral with the plate, or a separate piece secured thereto, andextending from opposite corners of the plate. Each arm has the stud.Below the plate is a bolt 18 provided with trunnions l9 slidinglymounted v in grooves 20 formed in a boss 21 on the face that engages theside of the plate opposite the socket approximately in the medial lineof the plate, and, owing to its curved engaging surface, forms a swivelconnection with said plate. The bolt is moved inwardly or outwardly onits trunnion by any suitable means, as an adjusting nut .23 on theoutside of the door to regulate the tension with which the shoes areforced outward and against the film.

Arranged in line with the rocking shoes 4% are the tension shoes 25,each of which is mounted on one end of a spring arm 26 that is rigidlysecured by any suitable means to the back of the center plate 27. Thisplate is carried by a head 28 integral with the door between the springarms 13, and is directly opposite the aperture plate and spacedtherefrom when the door is closed. Said shoes are relatively short andare rounded at their ends, permitting the film to pass readily and areheld only under sufficient tension to prevent any back-lash of the filmdue to the sudden and intermittent stopping of the sprocket wheel.

The door or movable part upon which the holding gate is mounted is heldin normal working position with respect to the aperture plate by anysuitable means, as a spring loci; 29 that engages behind the apertureplate when the door is closed. Said lock is disengaged by any suitablemeans as the pin 30 operated by the thumb nut 31. When in this position,the shoesare pressed outward by the spring plate so as to engage thefilm and hold same firmly but yieldingly against the aperture plate. Theshoes not only have a bodily movement against the tension of the springallowed by reciprocation or" the rods 7 in their sockets, but also havea tilting movement on the pivot pins 5 and consequently varyingthicknesses of film as well as inequalities on opposite sides of thefilm are automatically accommodated. Furthermore, the tension plate hasa swivel movement on the fixed stud or abutment 16 and with respect tothe pin 22 permits equal bodily movement of the two shoes andcompensates for inequalities on the opposite.

sides of the film and tends to equalize the tension on both sides, thuspreventing the film from being torn. The bodily movement oi the shoes isaccomplished gradually by a wedging movement as the film is drawndownward and the point of maximum thick ness in the film approaches thepivotal point of the shoe which is in line with the axis of thereciprocating rod,

By means of my construction, the adjustments of the shoes to varyingfilm conditions are brought about gradually and with such balancing andequalizing of pressure between the two shoes that films in torn ordamaged condition or which have been poorly or unevenly repaired can beused without fear of further damage and without any decrease in thespeed of operation of the machine.

It is obvious that the shoes 25 may be omitted entirely from theorganization illustrated but their use in connection with the .new formof rocking shoes 4. has the advantage of lessening the shock on theshoes a thereby tending to improve the registration of thefilm in thepicture aperture.

It will also be obvious that the invention embodies various otheradvantages not specifically set forth and that various changes may bemade in the mechanism herein shown and described which are within theskill of the mechanic and which are within the scope of my inventionprovided the means set forth in the following claims be employed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a device of the character described, the combination with a plate forengaging one side of a traveling film, of a film engaging shoe mountedto have a rocking movement and independent bodily movement toward saidplate and means for yieldingly holding the shoe in predeterminedposition.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with anaperture plate of a sliding support, movable relative to said plate,of'a shoe pivoted to said support intermediate its ends and movable withthe support, and a bearing for said support permitting the slidingmovement thereof in said bearing.

3. In a device of the character described. the combination with anaperture plate, of a shoe operatively mounted to hold the film relativeto said plate, and a movable support for said shoe, and a tension springconnected to said shoe, of an adjustable support for said spring, saidsupport being mounted to permit tilting movement thereof.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination withacurrying member, of a sliding support mounted on said member, a shoepivoted to said support intermediate its ends and having independentrocking movement on said support, of a tension member comprising aspring'engaging said support, a carrying member for said tension memberand a swivclcd connection between .said carrying member and said tensionmember whereby the latter is free to have a tilting movement relative tosaid carrying member.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with acarrying member, of a sliding support mounted on said member, a shoepivoted to'said support intermediate its ends and having independentmovement p cally tilts said relative to said slidable support, of atension member comprising a spring engaging said slidable support, saidtension member having a bearing on an abutment fixed relative to saidfixed support and forming a universal joint, and means for positivelymoving the tension member on said abutment to adjust the tension of saidspring.

6. In a film gate mechanism, thecombination with'an aperture plate, apair of sup ports slidably mounted relative thereto, a

shoe pivoted to each support, a tension member comprising spring armsengaging each support and a plate secured to said spring arms, a fixedbearing and a movable bearing engaging opposite sides of said plate,whereby uneven tension on the springs automatiplate relative to saidaperture plate.

7 In a film gate mechanism, the combination of a slidably mountedsupport, means for carrying said support, a shoe pivoted to said supportintermediate its ends, a tension member comprising a spring engagingsaid support, and a plate supporting said spring, an abutment having abearing in engagement with one side of said plate, and a movableadjusting member having a curved bearing surface engaging the oppositeside of said plate, and means for adjusting said member.

8. In a film gate mechanism, the combination with a frame having anaperture plate thereon, a door pivoted to said frame and having a gatemechanism mounted thereon, said gate mechanism comprising two mov ablesupports, and two pairs of shoes arranged in line with each other, oneof said pairs of shoes being loosely pivoted to said movable supports tohave independent rock- I ing and bodily movements, and the other pair ofshoes being yieldingly supported to have bodily movement with respect tothe aperture plate.

9. In a film gate mechanism, the combination with an aperture plate andmeansfor feeding the film relative to said plate, of a film gatecomprising two pairs of shoes extending in the direction of movement ofthe film and in resilient engagement therewith,

same 1nto engagement with the aperture plate, a lever for controllingthe engagement of said shoe with the plate, and means movable with thedoor for adjusting said lever from a position exterior of the door whenthe same is in closed position.

11. In a motion picture machine, the com: bination with a plate adaptedto engage one side of a traveling film, a shoe pivoted intermediate itslength for movement about an axis transversely of the path of movementof the film and adapted to engage the other side of the film to pressthe same against the plate, said shoe mounted for bodily movement in adirection toward and away from said plate and resilient meanscontinually engaging said shoe for moving the same toward said plate.

12. In a device of the class described, .7

the opposite slde of the film to force the same against said bearingsurface and said other member mounted to have a rocking movement in theline of the travel of the film whereby irregularities of thickness inthe film is caused-to pass the holding means without affecting'the film.

This specification signed and witnessed this 21st day of February, A. D.1914.

ROBERT J. EMORY. Witnesses: JOHN W. MEMMOTT, THos. DE C. Rus'r.

